PLEASE! LET ME OPEN!

A passionate plea from one of Baltimore's best!

#Baltimore Restaurant Michael's Cafe Timonium Sends Open Letter to Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski

My family and I have been in business for 36 years and counting running two successful restaurants, Michael’s Café in Timonium and Michael’s Café in Middle River. Each year we contribute on average of $600,000 a year in sales tax revenue and between $1,200,000 to $1,500,000 in payroll tax revenue on behalf of both employee and employer. We also give to multiple different charities on a weekly basis. During this Crisis we have given back in many ways including taking food to GBMC healthcare workers as well as to the Cockeysville Police station. We are proud to employee around 140 people between both locations. All that being said I fear that if this shutdown continues this all could come to an end. Even if we were able to open up tomorrow at full capacity, we would still have a Mt. Everest of challenges ahead of us to get back to where we once were. We are more equipped than most in our industry to face that challenge, but that doesn’t guarantee we will survive. It is almost sickening to know how much it costs just to keep our doors open without any customers. If you’d like I can sit down with you to show you what our fixed expenses per month are. I think you’d be very surprised. Most people don’t realize the complexities and challenges that small businesses like ours face on any given normal day. It’s a tough business but one that can be rewarding if you are passionate, put out the best possible product and service available and work hard on a daily basis. Every day that our industry is closed down increases the likelihood that many restaurants will have to shut their doors permanently. People are fed up. Democrats and Republicans alike. I am hoping that you will consider reversing course on this continued shutdown, by allowing our industry to open back up asap. That will at least give some of us a fighting chance. I understand that such a decision on your behalf will be based on public health and safety and I agree that it should be. We are more than prepared to open our doors safely by following every precaution possible laid out by officials with the best interests of our staff and the general public at the forefront of everything we do. But public health and safety isn’t exclusive only to the concern of COVID-19. It encompasses a lot more than just that. Many Baltimoreans are experiencing severe depression, increased likelihood of drug addiction, increased risk of domestic violence, deep financial strain and worrying about how they will be able to put food on the table. These problems will get far worse the longer this shutdown continues. At this point the curve has been flattened and hospitals are much better equipped to handle the situation. It is time for the people of this county to be able to make their own decisions. If you feel unsafe, stay home. It really is that simple. Most (if not all) healthy people will be fine. I keep hearing about Herd Immunity and that the only way to get there is if 80% of the population is infected or vaccinated. We can’t wait for a vaccine as it could take years. The smart thing to do is let healthy people out and develop the antibodies needed so when the potential second wave in the fall comes we are in a much better position. One last note: I have read research stating that over 99% people dying of COVID had low levels of Vitamin D. Everyone should be supplementing with this right now. 5000iu a day should suffice. It’d be nice if the media would promote that. I hope that you would consider all that I have said and sooner than later make the right decision to put our county on a path to recovery. Thank you for your time.

Steve Dellis